Sign



Aug. 29, 1939. c. w. WILLIAMSON SIGN Filed March 14, 1959 JLJLJLJUUULJD IEUUDUDEIE IDEEDQUUE WW WWWWW 2 Sheets-Sheet l IDEDEHJDEIE IDUUU DUE IDES EEK 6 3 ISSUE BE A JDUEDDE QDEDUUEE L gwpq/wbo a Coy VV. Williamson 29, 1939- c. w. WILLIAMSON 2,171,016

SIGN

Filed March 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Coy W. William: son

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES Application March 14,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to electric signs and has special reference to an electric sign designed especially for group advertising by a number of firms or by a firm with numerous places of business in one city such, for instance, as a chain-store corporation.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a novel advertising sign wherein the locations of a number of business places are successively displayed, the display of each location being accompanied by simultaneous display of advertising matter relative thereto.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel advertising sign representing the map of a city, display means associated therewith for indicating on said map business locations successively and other display means for displaying successive pictures of the buildings wherein the businesses are conducted.

A third important object of the invention is to provide novel circuit means for a sign of the kind described.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings like charac ters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-.3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail elevation showing the face of a certain advertising or picture display device used herein.

Figure '5 is a detail section on the line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the wiring of the invention.

Figure '7 is a detail section through a portion of a rotary casing used herein.

It is to be understood that this invention may be embodied in various forms and sizes. For instance, the invention may be constructed of a size suitable to be displayed in a restricted space such as a show window or may be made of sufficient size to constitute a roadside sign. Also, it is to be understood that the specific means herein shown and described for controlling the signal circuits maybe varied to suit the particu- 1939, Serial No. 261,80?

lar construction of the invention without departing from the principles therein involved.

With this in mind, the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings discloses a sign board ill on the front face of which is delineated a plot or map ll of a city or that portion thereof wherein the places to be advertised are located. On this map are arranged a series of small electric lamps E2 each positioned at the location of a store or other business to be advertised- On the upper part of this board it is preferably provided an ornamental feature such as the clock i3 although this forms no part of the invention and is not essential thereto.

Suitably secured to the board is a frame I l carrying at its upper end portion a bearing l5 wherein is journalled the rear end of a shaft l6 having its forward end suitably supported rotatably by the board H3.

On the shaft 56 is fixed a frust0-conical casing i'l' having a glazed front l3 whereon is mounted a circular series of spaced display fields showing advertisements 55 such as transparencies of the buildings wherein the several businesses defined in position by the lamps H? are conducted. Obviously, other advertising matter may be used in place of such transparencies or the transparencies may be supplemented by such other advertising as is found desirable. This series of transparencies is concentric to the shaft l6 and in the board iii, preferably at the upper part thereof, is formed a sight opening wherewith the transparencies are successively brought to registry by means to be described.

On the frame M is mounted a motor 2i which, through a suitable reduction gearing the easing 22 of which is shown, actuates a crank shaft 23. Fixed on the shaft IE5 is a ratchet wheel 24 where-with cooperates a pawl 25 carried by the crank shaft 23 so that rotation of the latter causes the pawl to actuate the ratchet wheel 24 with a step-by-step movement.

Mounted on the rear face of the board I!) is a circular series of evenly spaced electrical contacts 28 corresponding in number to the lamps l2. Each contact is connected by a conductor 27 to one terminal of a respective lamp I2 and the remaining terminals of these lamps are connected in multiple, as by conductors 28 to a current supply line 2%. Insulatedly mounted on the casing ii is a contact ring 39 carrying a spring contact finger 3! which engages the contacts 26 successively as the casing ll is rotated. A spring supply contact or brush 32 constantly engages the ring 39 and is connected to a current supply line 33. In order to illuminate the transparencies lamps 34 are mounted within the rotary casing I1 and each lamp has one terminal connected to the ring 30 by a wire 35 and its other terminal connected by a wire 36 to a contact ring 31 insulatedly mounted on the casing ll. A brush 38 constantly engages the ring 3'! and is connected by a conductor 39 with the line Wire 29.

In operation the motor actuates the crank shaft 23 which actuates the pawl 25 so that it oscillates backwardly and forwardly on the ratchet Wheel 24 thereby turning the latter, This causes the casing ll to also rotate and carries the contact 3| around to successively engage the contacts 26 and thus successively light the lamps 12. The transparencies 59 are so positioned on the casing that, as each lamp i2 is lit, the transparency corresponding to the particular lamp is brought into registry with the sight opening 29 thereby displaying matter associated with the particular location indicated by the lamp.

While the device is adapted for advertising purposes it may also be used to show matters of public interest and their locations. For instance, the transparencies may be in the form of views showing public buildings, statutes and the like and the lamps IQ for giving the location of the same.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a map board having a sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening, lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, and means to revolve said casing and simultaneously close an electric circuit through the lamp corresponding in map location to the field displayed.

2. In combination, a map board having a. sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening, lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, means to revolve said casing and simultaneously close an electric circuit through the lamp corresponding in map lor' cation to the field displayed, said display fields being formed by transparencies, and lamps within said casing illuminating the transparencies from the rear thereof.

3. In combination, a map board having a sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening,

lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, an electric motor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism driven by said motor and producing step-by-step rotation of the casing, and means to close electric circuits through said lamps in tuned relation to the actuation of said casing.

4. In combination, a map board having a sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening, lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, an electric motor, a pawl and ratchet mechanism driven by said motor and producing step-by-step rotation of the casing, means to close electric circuits through said lamps in tuned relation to the actuation of said casing, said display fields being formed by transparencies, and lamps within said casing illuminating the transparencies from the rear thereof.

5. In combination, a map board having a sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening, lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, means to rotate said casing, a circular series of contacts arranged on the back of said board and each conductively connected to a respective lamp, and a constantly energized contact carried by the casing and moving in a path to successively engage the contacts of said series.

6. In combination, a map board having a sight opening, display means behind said board including a series of display fields adapted to move successively into registry with said opening, lamps arranged on the map board at map locations each associated with a respective display.

field, a revolvable casing behind said board and having the display fields arranged on the front thereof in circular series, means to rotate said casing, a circular series of contacts arranged on the back'of said board and each conductively connected to a respective lamp, a constantly energized contact carried by the casing and moving in a path to successively engage the contacts of said series, said display fields being formed by transparencies, and lamps within said casing illuminating the transparencies from the rear thereof.

COY W. WILLIAMSON. 

